


Pillow Talk

by i_like_to_touch_butts



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-06
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2018-04-25 03:45:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4945525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_like_to_touch_butts/pseuds/i_like_to_touch_butts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“It’s okay, really. I don’t need you to prepare a great speech for me or even to take me to some fancy dinner. You just had to ask me, which you kinda just did.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pillow Talk

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes I get really emotional about how in love my Shepard and Kaidan are and actually writing comes out of it.

The beginning of the rebuilding process for earth and everywhere else in the galaxy had been hard on everyone. There was so much death and destruction. So many friends and loved ones that needed to be mourned. Finally after almost a year and a half though it seemed that everyone was settling back into some type of routine. They all had at least some normalcy back in their day to day lives. Though, even then some people had a hard time adjusting to peace time life. Jake Shepard was one of those people and he had seen it coming. After he and his sister were released from the hospital after being treated for the wounds they received while stopping the reapers for good they both just looked at each other like “now what”? Some things had of course been easy to figure out. Like how he was not sorry for how emotional he got in front of his crew when he was finally reunited with Kaidan. He had just clung to him for a good twenty minutes before kissing him senseless. Some part of him in that last moment had thought he would never see him again. That the last memory Kadian would have of him is promising to return to him. One that, at the time, it seemed he was going to break.

The next obvious thing had been going back to his Citadel apartment, although it felt quite sad being back there and thinking about Anderson. His sister Charlie had just put her arm around her brother saying “La vida se mueve en.”* And so it did. Having Charlie move in with him and bringing Garrus had helped make things a little easier. Having Kaidan there made everything a thousand times easier still. The first few nights they stayed together in the apartment he had mostly stayed awake, half afraid of the dreams and half afraid that if he closed his eyes that his boyfriend would disappear. Jake and Charlie had become icons for the whole galaxy, the famous “Shepard siblings” so having them help with the rebuild was an easy choice. A lot of time was spent with the council in boring conversation about how best to continue with the rebuild. Most days it was all just press meeting and even a few spots on local day time talk shows. Jake’s favorite had been when one reporter had asked him “how was the great commander Shepard still single” and the look on her face when he replied with “let me introduce my boyfriend Kaidan Alenko”. After that he had received several confusing emails from people who were unhappy with finding out this information.

Currently said boyfriend had his face pressed against the other chest listening to Jake’s heartbeat as they laid intertwined in the giant bed that could fit at least six people if need be. It was the one sound he was sure that he could never get tired of hearing, more comforting than any words. After a day full of being bombarded by this new life he was completely content to be lulled to sleep by it until he felt a rumbling hum as well. He pulled his face away from the other chest to look up at his face. Kaidan had spent more than enough time with him to tell that he was deep in thought about something. For a second he just watched Jake, the commanders’ eyebrows pulled together staring at the opposite wall of the bedroom. 

“Don’t pull a muscle love.” He teased with a smile. The others attention snapped to him instantly. Shepard faked a frown leaning forward just enough to touch their foreheads together. 

“Not funny Alenko.” He replied. Jake only used his last name when he was pretending to be mad at him. He followed this with a soft kiss putting his hands though Kaidan’s usually well sculpted hair. A happy noise formed at the back of his throat before he could stop it. 

“Seriously though, what are you thinking so hard about?” The red head pauses for a second as if trying to find words for his previously consuming thoughts.

“The future. Our future actually.” He replies simply. 

“Oh yeah? Any specific thoughts you wanna share?” Kaidan asks and now he was definitely interested. The entire first night they had been reunited had just been them awake deep in whispered conversation where Jake had seemingly burst. He began to wonder if this was going to be anything like that. 

“Honestly?” He asks and waits for the slight nod the other gives him. “I was wondering, if we got married what would we do about our last names?” For a moment Kaidan just stares at his significant other, then starts laughing. Of course the galaxies greatest hero would now be spending his time thinking of things like that. Actually Kaidan knew it was probably just a Jake thing, he thought about small things like this to distract himself.

“Well, obviously you can’t change your last name.” He says when his shoulders stop shaking with his quiet laughter. This causes a look of confusion to cross the red heads face.

“Why not?” He asked beginning to look like pouting was coming on.

“Because Shepard has become like your, brand. It’s not just your name anymore, it’s more like a title. You and Charlie are ‘the Shepard’s, saviors of the universe’.” He says with a raised eyebrow. Jake knew he was right too, not that he much minded be a celebrity. It was just that growing up on earth poor and homeless spending all his time trying to find a way to get food for him and his sister he never thought he would one day be signing autographs for people and being told that he was their hero. 

“Well, I couldn’t’ subject you to becoming a Shepard then.” He replies. Jake had been hesitant about going public with their relationship in the first place. He already knew there would be people lining up with their disapproval. However, as far as he was concerned what other people thought about their relationship didn’t matter what so ever. He loved Kaidan and he made him happy which was good enough. 

“Hmm, we could hyphenate?” Kaidan suggests after a second of thought. “The Shepard-Alenko family.” He says and can’t stop a smile. He was more than content to lay here with Jake and talk about their possible future marriage. Back when the reapers were still a threat and thousands of lives were counting on them it seemed all they talked about was death and the coming of an end. This was an entire conversation about a beginning. 

“I like the way that sounds.” Jake says with his classic grin. Kaidan can’t help but smile back going in to steal another kiss.

“Why were you thinking about that anyway?” Kaidan asks once they separate. “Planning on asking me soon or something?” It’s his turn to return the smile. He can see the beginnings of a blush forming over the others dark cheeks. Flustering Shepard was one of his favorite hobbies.

“Well, um, actually I uh.” He starts before burying his face in his pillow. “I had been thinking about it.” Kaidan can make out though the cotton. Part of him was not in any way surprised by it, their relationship had felt like it was building towards it for a while. Jake separates his face from the pillow.

“I mean, I’ve been looking around for a ring for you but I have no idea what kind you would even want. I want it to be special and nice but I’ve only been looking online. I know that if I went to any shop on the Citadel that someone would put two and two together and you’d know before I got to ask you. I hadn’t even prepared a whole speech yet like I was going to. Then there was going to be a fancy dinner at a nice restaurant.” He rants all of this almost without a single breath as he rolls over to his back throwing his hands in the air. He stops his rant short when he feels a hand on his chest. He turns back to his side to see Kaidan smiling widely. 

“It’s okay, really. I don’t need you to prepare a great speech for me or even to take me to some fancy dinner. You just had to ask me, which you kinda just did.” Jake sits up in bed putting his head in his hands. He hadn’t even got a chance to start with the plan he was making but he had gotten it all out.

“So,” He starts nervously “Does that mean you want to marry me Kaidan?” Kaidan sits up putting his hands through Jake’s hair pulling his forward to once again kiss his. Followed by a series of smaller face kisses.

“I don’t think anything would make me happier.” He answers a little breathlessly. A relieved sounding laugh left Jake before he could stop it.

“I guess all those years of relentless flirting paid off huh?” He says wiggling his eyebrows. Kaidan is laughing hard instantly. 

“I told you it wasn’t my fault that I never realized you were flirting with me. No offense but your flirting is a lot like your dancing. Awkward and with too much arm movement.” He says still laughing. 

“I really thought you knew! I was doing the best I could!” He says offended about the comment both about his dancing and flirting skills. 

“I really don’t think that subtly flexing while we were talking was your best move honestly.” Jake lets out a groan, he past coming back to him. A lot of the things he did while trying to catch Kaidans attention were now embarrassing to think about. 

“And then there was that period of time where you thought I was dating Garrus.” Jake says now also starting to laugh. That one had been all on Kaidan.

“Well, you two do go on dates.” He says in his defense.

“They’re bro dates! Totally different than what we do and I’ve never slept with Garrus. That’s the other Shepard.” They were being entirely too loud and if his sister wasn’t such a heavy sleeper she’d probably have woken up and had something to add. 

“I’d hope you never slept with him. That’d have made things a little awkward.” Jake shakes his head dismissing the idea.

“Garrus isn’t my type, not enough ass.” He replies very seriously. 

“I see how it is. You only like me for my ass?” Kaidan tries to accuse seriously but starts cracking up. 

“Obviously.” Jake replies seriously. He clears his throat and raises his hand as if talking into a microphone. “I’m Commander Shepard and this is my favorite ass on the Citadel.” 

“You’re so ridiculous.” Kaidan replies trying to stop laughing. 

“And now you’re stuck with me Mr. Alenko.”

“Good.”

**Author's Note:**

> * "Life moves on."  
> More notes: The other Shepard in this fic, Charile Shepard Jake's sister belongs to my girlfriend. They are both Hispanic and grew up together as orphans on earth where they struggled to survive before they both enlisted.


End file.
